Electric clock.



H. 1?. GAY. ELECTRIC QLOGK.

AESELIGATIGH XILED Kill. 14, 1912.

Patented 0613.22, 1912.

[N VEN T OR Attorney;

W/TJYEiSES H. T. GAY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 14, 1912' 1,041,771 Patented (M122, 1912.

4 SHEETS-BHEET 24 jy'z,

W1 TNESSES INVEZNTOR 4 'f/Mm m Attorney;

H T. GAY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MARJA. 1912.

1,01,77 1 Patented Oct. 22, 1912 WITNESSES 1 UINVENTIOR 3W 4,4

UNITED srnrgps PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN ll. GAY, (3F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0JOSEF'H' G. I-IGCHREIN AND ONE-FOURTH '10 JGSFJPH F. CARRQLL, BOTH OFBALTIMORE,

MARYLAND.

m'ncrmc enocx.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it-known that I, HERMAN T. GAY, of

the city of Baltimore and State out-Maryland, have invented certainImprovements in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a,specification.

In'the description of the present invention which follows, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in whichFigure 1 is a front View of such parts of the electric clock as areinvolved in the present invention; and Fig. 2 a sectional side or edgeview of the same taken on the broken line '2; in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asection taken on the broken line w in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section takenon the broken line to in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the brokenline g in Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 a section taken on the broken line 2 inFig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents a part of the clock casingto the rear wall of which is fastened the cross bar 2 which carries andelectrically unites the ico res of certain electromagnetshereinafterdescribed.

3, 3 are studs which extend forward from the rear wall of the casing 1and sustain the rear plate a of the clock movement.

5 is the front plate of the clock movement, supported by the posts 7which extend from the rear plate 4.

9 is the minute arbor journaledin the end of a stud 6 riveted in theplate 4:, and also in the plate 5, as best shown in Fig. 2, and'to whichthe minute hand (not shown) is secured. The arbor 9 carries the tightmain or first gear wheel 10.

112 is a second arbor having the pinion 18 which is in mesh with thegear wheel 10 and is driven by it. ()n the second arbor 12 is also thegear wheel 14 which is in mesh with the pinion 15 on the arbor 17 whichcarries the escapement wheel 1.9.

20 is the cscapeinent spindle to which the anchor 22 (shown only in Fig.2) is secured. To the escapcment spindle is fastened the leading rod 24which in the vibratory motion of the spindle 22, communicates movem entto the pendulum bar 2-5.

The elements of the clock thus far described are in common use andtherefore in themselves embody no invention.

27 1s a ratchet wheel which is loose on the stud 6, with its outer facein contact witha second and larger ratchet wheel 29 which is loose onthe first or minute arbor 9.

Motion is communicated from the first to f the second ratchet Wheelb sring-held pawls 31 (see Fig. 5), and from t'e second ratchet wheel 29 tothe minute gear wheel 10 by 33 the ends of which are inserted in thoseparts, as shown in- Figs. 1, 2 and 6. The ob-,.

ject of the spring connection is to continue the running of the clock,during an interval of time that the motive devices hereinafter describedare inoperative.- A backwardirotation of the ratchet wheel by the pawl34. The employment of' a curved spring similar to the one 33 for thepurpose described,.is old in clocks, and I claim no invention therein.

means of the 29 is prevented means of a curved spring 35, 35 are magnetswith the center of their cores37 in horizontal alinement with the centerof the minute arbor 9; and 39 is an armature in the form of a rockerwhich is placed loosely on the studfi, and made fast to the ratchetwheel 27 by means of screws, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The tendency of the electromagnets when energized, is to retain thearmature (rocker) in a horizontal position, or *with its endspractically in contact with their cores, as shown in Fig. 1; and whenthe electric circuit is broken therocker offers no resistance tovibration.

4.0 is a coiled spring one end of which? is attached to the plate 4 at42, and the other end to the rocker at 43, as best shown in 3 of thedrawings. The function of the coiled spring 40 is to draw the armature3,

Il um the foregoing description it will be i the pin 5: striking theupper end of the slo.

understood that the operation of the clock .is produced primarily by thespring 40; and that'the function of the armature 39 is to reextend thespring after its contraction, and placeit in a condition that it willagain "serve as a motor,

4:5 is' an insulated stud projecting from the plate 4, upon which isadapted to rotat'e freely the flan ed ratchet wheel 47; and at the rearsis of the said ratchet wheel, and loose upoii the sold stud, is an arm50 formed of sonic insulating material such for instance as'hard rubber,having a curved slot 52 near its end, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Within the slot, and free to slide lcngitudinally thereof, is aninsulating pin 54 projecting lsterally frorn a link 55 which is pivotedto the inner side of the rocker 39, and near one end thereof. Upon thepin 54 is a loose pawl 57 the point of which engeges the teeth of theratchet wheel 47. Aspring 60 on the link-55 serves to keep the pawl 57in engagement with the ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheel for a purposehereinafter describ d. A portion a of the hard rubber arm 50 entendsbeyond and is concentric with the circumference of the flange Z) whichas before stated, is a part of the ratchet wheel 47. 62 is a spring armfastened by means of the insulated stud 63 to the rear plate l. the endof which is turned upward on bears with a slight pressure upon eitherthe flange b of the ratchet wheel 48?, or the part coi the arm 50 whichas before stated is of insulating material. In. Fig. 1 it is shown asbearing upon the latter.

Supposingthe various parts of the clock movement to he'in the positionsindicated in Fig. 1, inwhich the end of the spring arm $2 is shownc asresting upon the part a of 'the hard ruhberarm 50, the electric circuitis open, end the'magnets not energized, the armature 39 is not held inthe position shown, but instead, is free to vibrate. Upon the pendulunibein'g swung to one side to start the clock, the contraction of thecoiled. spring 40 causes the armature to gradually reach the positionshown in Fig, 3, end duo ing its'motion, the operation of the clockmovement is continued through the medium of the gearing described.

Upon the armature reachingthe oblique position shown in Fig. 3, the pin54 strikes the bottom of the slot 52, and the arm 58 is thereby throwndown, and causes the part a of the arm 50 to move around and from underthe end of the, spring arm 62, whereupon the end of the spring arm willbear upon the metallic flange 5 of the ratchet wheel a l", and theelectric circuit is thereby Closed: The armature is then returned to itsorig" p i when. We electric circuit is again broken by 52, and theoperation of the clock as above described is repeated.

It will be understood that each time the armature is brou ht to thehorizontal position shown in Fig. l, the flange '6 of the ratchet wheeli7 is moved circumferentially a distance equal to the pitch of theratchetteeth, and the flange thereby presents a dif ferent surface to bedrawn across by the end of the spring arm 62, thus reducing to a largeextent, oxidation of the points of contact due to sparking,

l have shown and described two spaced electromagnets, the cores of whichare on the same horizontal plane as the, minute arbor, a vibratoryarmature which when in a horizontal position, is in alinement with thecores of the ssidmagnets, end a spring connected to the armature, whosefunction when the magnets are not energized, is to throw the armatureinto an inclined position, with one of its ends above, and the other endbelow a core; and in this operation, through the medium of suitablegearing, the running of the clock is efiected; but it is evident thatwhile two magnets arranged es described are preferred. for the reasonthat endwise movement of the srmature toward the cores of the ma nets isthen equalized, the magnet to the ler't in Fig. 3, could be dispensedwith, and the one to the right onl v employed; and I therefore do notlimit niyselii to the employment of two electrorriaguets, but use them.in the belief that better results will he attained thereby.

i claim my invention:

1. in combination with the vibratory armature of on electric clock,magnet, a. stud having o rotary disk with ratchet teeth thereon end alsos loose vibratory arm of insulating met rial with a portion thereofpracticably concentricwith the dish sndpro jecting beyond thecircumference of the some, n spring held arm with its fire-e adapted torest alternately on the and the projecting portion of the insulatingineterisl, the ssid arm, dish: and ma not being in electric circuit, anda link w ich communicotes motion the armature to the vibratory arm, andis provided with. a pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth of thedish to edect the vibratory motion or the insulating arm from thearmature, and thereby produce an intermittent rotary motion of the disk,the object of the devices described being to present a dif- .erentipointof: contact to the end of the spring arm, at each vibration of theairmature, substantially as, for the purpose specified. 3

2-. in an electric clock, a stud, a metallic electrics lly connectedwith the stud and adopted to turn thereupon, an arm of insulating.o'iaierial adapted for vibration on '1.

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